The end of this amazing adventure.

To be honest I am not aware that right now I am writing the last blog of the year. This wonderful experience is coming to an end…in a couple of days I will be back in Spain and will leave behind everything I have built on this island.

I have met amazing people, I have laughed, I have cried, I have grown, I have changed, I have loved, I have struggled, I have missed…Throughout this year a lot of things have happened, from the first days crying to see myself alone in a country that was not mine without knowing anyone and not even understanding the language, to realizing that this island is one of my favorite places in the world, because in one way or another it feels like home.

I still remember the first days where the volunteers of the Isla Extravaganza project tucked me in for the first month, filling me with laughter, fun, love and joy. Who would have thought that when I said goodbye to them in November, thinking that it would be the last time I would see them, it was not going to be like that, since months later many of them came to visit me, besides keeping in touch with many others.

I also remember the warmth of the Spaniards in the first Youth Exchange “Youth go local” where they made me feel a little closer to home. Special mention to my magic Alba who was a great support and a magical discovery, as well as Joan. The truth is that those days were magical, surrounded by people, having fun, good food and doing a lot of activities.

Soon after, Juliette arrived…it’s amazing how we hit it off so well from the beginning, but I certainly had no idea by then that she would become a lifelong friend, my biggest confidant and my biggest supporter in this experience.

Days went by and we went to On arrival training in Orahovica, where we saw snow, had lots of improvised parties, walked through the forest…and where I met some people I will always remember fondly. After that we only had the winter, which was hard, not because of the cold or the rains, but because of the loneliness and the lack of leisure with which to kill time. But as always, after the storm comes the calm. And we found ourselves fully participating in the Youth Exchange “moving for mental health” which was undoubtedly the best way to kick off the spring. We had a great time, we did a lot of things, we did not stop moving, when we were not dancing, we were doing sports or doing some interesting route. In this project I also met wonderful people.

And so came the first visitors. Without a doubt I will always be grateful to all those who came to fill my heart with love.

The trips also came, having traveled to a total of 8 different countries throughout this year and initiating the solo traveling experience, which makes me extremely happy, since anyone who knows me knows that traveling is one of my passions.

I must mention in a special way the trip we made to Finland thanks to Argonauta, with the project “Ecoland”, it was a unique and wonderful opportunity. I can only say that it was a dream days, Virrat is a magical place and the people with whom we shared those days our time could not have been better. We had a beautiful friendship with Kyle and Joris.

After that came the summer and in a matter of a blink of an eye this experience came to an end. It’s amazing how when you have a good time and enjoy the days fly by. In the mid-term we also met some very nice people.

In summer I enjoyed like a little girl doing what I like the most, which is working with children in the natural environment and dancing on the beach. I also received some special visits during this last month, which made my days brighter and filled my heart with love.

No doubt this experience ends on a high note, but other new adventures are yet to come. Murter will always have a special place in my heart, as it has been where I have lived one of the best years of my life and where I have met a lot of amazing people which I will remember fondly for a long time. And without a doubt, because thanks to this experience I have met her.

Romina, volunteer from Spain

About the ESC : The European Solidarity Corps is a program of the European Union to strengthen solidarity in various areas: from helping the disadvantaged and providing humanitarian aid to engagement for health and the environment in the EU and beyond.
The program offers young people the opportunity to respond to the needs of the community, make a concrete contribution to society, and in the process gain invaluable experience and develop new skills. The program is also intended for organizations active in the field of solidarity that want to involve young people in their activities.